Media General Reports March Revenues

Media General Reports March Revenues

RICHMOND, Va., April 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Media General, Inc. (NYSE:MEG) today reported that total revenues for March 2005 increased 5.3 percent, to $72.1 million, from March 2004. On a divisional basis, Publishing revenues increased 4.8 percent, Broadcast revenues grew 4.7 percent, and Interactive Media Division revenues rose 50.7 percent.

Newspaper advertising revenues increased $2.2 million, or 6 percent, over last March, and reflected gains in all categories. Including revenues from the company's newspaper Web sites, publishing revenues increased 5.7 percent and newspaper advertising revenues rose 7.1 percent for the month.

Classified revenues increased $750,000, or 4.8 percent, compared with March 2004, and reflected growth in virtually all markets. The Tampa Tribune was up strongly, 6.9 percent, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Winston- Salem Journal were up a little more than 1 percent each, compared with last March. As expected, Classified revenue growth softened during the month, compared to the double-digit increases experienced in January and February of this year, due to the Easter holiday. Newspapers typically see a decline in employment linage on holidays. Including online advertising, the overall increase in Classified revenues was 6.5 percent.

Classified advertising growth continued to be driven principally by help- wanted advertising. In March, employment linage for The Tampa Tribune increased 20.1 percent and the Richmond Times-Dispatch was up 13.1 percent. Running counter-trend, the Winston-Salem Journal reported a 3 percent decline, due mainly to the Easter holiday. Automotive linage at The Tampa Tribune was even with last year. The Winston-Salem Journal reported a 1.6 percent increase in automotive linage, while the Richmond Times-Dispatch was down 19.1 percent. Real estate linage at the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Winston- Salem Journal was up 7 percent and 21 percent, respectively, while it was down at The Tampa Tribune.

Retail revenues increased $650,000, or 3.9 percent. The Tampa Tribune reported the largest increase, 6.8 percent, due to a strong performance in the financial, home furnishings and medical categories. The Richmond Times- Dispatch declined 3.2 percent, due to lower medical, department store and furniture advertising and a special section from last year that did not repeat. The Winston-Salem Journal's retail revenues were up 1.5 percent, resulting from increased preprints and use of color. The Community newspaper group reported a 6.4 percent increase in retail advertising.

National revenues increased $570,000, or 18.9 percent, resulting from strong telecommunications advertising in all three metro markets as well as financial and pharmaceutical advertising in Tampa.

Circulation revenues were $170,000, or 2.4 percent below last year, mostly due to a change in wholesale rates to independent carriers.

In the Broadcast Division, gross time sales increased $915,000, or nearly 4 percent. Gains in Local and National transactional time sales more than offset a substantial decline in Political spot sales.

Local time sales increased $1.4 million, or 9.5 percent, reflecting strong results from the division's new business development initiatives. Growth in services, furniture and home improvement advertising offset declines in the fast food and automotive categories.

National time sales rose $210,000, or 2.6 percent, due to gains in the corporate, home improvement and specialty stores categories that offset declines in telecommunications and automotive advertising.

Although down substantially from last year, Political revenues of $250,000 exceeded expectations and reflected issues advertising for Social Security and educational reforms.

Interactive Media Division revenues rose 50.7 percent to a monthly record of $1.6 million. The growth was driven by a 45.4 percent increase in Classified advertising, reflecting continued strong liner upsell activity and special product revenue. Local advertising also was up significantly, reflecting continued success with new products.

About Media General

Media General is a diversified communications company operating leading newspapers, television stations and online enterprises, primarily in the Southeastern United States. The company's publishing assets include three metropolitan newspapers, The Tampa Tribune, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the Winston-Salem Journal; 22 daily community newspapers in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina; and more than 100 weekly newspapers and other publications. The company's broadcasting assets include 26 network-affiliated television stations that reach more than 30 percent of the television households in the Southeast and nearly 8 percent of those in the United States. The company's interactive media assets include more than 50 online enterprises that are associated with its newspapers and television stations. Media General also owns a 20 percent interest in The Denver Post and a 33 percent interest in SP Newsprint Company.

MEDIA GENERAL INC. Revenues and Page Views

March 2005 2004 % Change

Revenues (000) $72,099 $68,468 5.3 % Publishing 46,458 44,325 4.8 % Broadcast 24,451 23,361 4.7 % Interactive Media 1,561 1,036 50.7 % Eliminations (371) (254) (46.1)%

Selected Publishing Revenues (000) By Category Advertising $38,314 $36,156 6.0 % Classified 16,488 15,739 4.8 % Retail 17,580 16,927 3.9 % National 3,555 2,989 18.9 % Other 691 501 37.9 % Circulation 6,882 7,053 (2.4)% By Property Richmond 10,964 10,969 --- Tampa 15,373 14,218 8.1 % Winston-Salem 4,341 4,163 4.3 % Community Newspapers 15,578 14,828 5.1 %

Advertising Revenues (000)* Richmond $8,485 $8,397 1.0 % Tampa 13,527 12,522 8.0 % Winston-Salem 3,547 3,416 3.8 % Community Newspapers 12,556 11,684 7.5 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000) $24,247 $23,332 3.9 % Local 15,687 14,331 9.5 % National 8,309 8,097 2.6 % Political 251 904 (72.2)%

Selected Online Total Page Views TBO.com 20,743,693 15,269,036 35.9 % (Tampa, Fla.) timesdispatch.com 8,535,331 7,081,698 20.5 % (Richmond, Va.) JournalNow.com 3,531,155 2,794,335 26.4 % (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Year-to-Date 2005 2004 % Change

Revenues (000) $217,907 $208,156 4.7 % Publishing 143,433 135,648 5.7 % Broadcast 70,992 70,257 1.0 % Interactive Media 4,546 3,009 51.1 % Eliminations (1,064) (758) 40.4 %

Selected Publishing Revenues (000) By Category Advertising $117,908 $109,801 7.4 % Classified 51,606 47,064 9.7 % Retail 52,600 50,963 3.2 % National 11,914 9,853 20.9 % Other 1,788 1,921 (6.9)% Circulation 22,266 22,787 (2.3)% By Property Richmond 34,357 33,386 2.9 % Tampa 47,690 43,406 9.9 % Winston-Salem 13,134 12,783 2.7 % Community Newspapers 47,677 45,506 4.8 %

Advertising Revenues (000)* Richmond $26,418 $25,112 5.2 % Tampa 42,510 38,450 10.6 % Winston-Salem 10,606 10,323 2.7 % Community Newspapers 37,866 35,404 7.0 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000) $69,488 $69,915 (0.6)% Local 45,553 42,848 6.3 % National 23,612 24,075 (1.9)% Political 323 2,992 (89.2)%

Selected Online Total Page Views TBO.com 52,974,230 43,213,575 22.6 % (Tampa, Fla.) timesdispatch.com 25,359,831 19,343,841 31.1 % (Richmond, Va.) JournalNow.com 10,407,939 8,153,377 27.7 % (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Note: All data are subject to later adjustment. *Amounts reflect both daily and weekly newspapers.

MEDIA GENERAL INC. Daily Newspapers Advertising Linage*

March 2005 2004 % Change RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH Retail 28,918 35,494 (18.5)% National 10,686 8,901 20.1 % Classified 72,486 76,311 (5.0)% Total 112,090 120,706 (7.1)% TAMPA TRIBUNE Retail 48,235 46,748 3.2 % National 15,071 11,363 32.6 % Classified 129,247 129,838 (0.5)% Total 192,553 187,949 2.4 % WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL Retail 38,320 34,295 11.7 % National 10,618 8,996 18.0 % Classified 59,992 56,913 5.4 % Total 108,930 100,204 8.7 % COMMUNITY & ASSOCIATES DAILIES Retail 315,044 317,669 (0.8)% National 27,793 23,245 19.6 % Classified 426,309 433,620 (1.7)% Total 769,146 774,534 (0.7)% MEDIA GENERAL DAILIES TOTAL Retail 430,517 434,206 (0.8)% National 64,168 52,505 22.2 % Classified 688,034 696,682 (1.2)% Total 1,182,719 1,183,393 (0.1)%

Year-to-Date 2005 2004 % Change RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH Retail 92,055 99,152 (7.2)% National 34,722 34,503 0.6 % Classified 227,812 230,461 (1.1)% Total 354,589 364,116 (2.6)% TAMPA TRIBUNE Retail 136,981 134,987 1.5 % National 48,448 39,348 23.1 % Classified 416,271 413,006 0.8 % Total 601,700 587,341 2.4 % WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL Retail 99,915 109,088 (8.4)% National 28,029 26,338 6.4 % Classified 188,313 179,614 4.8 % Total 316,257 315,040 0.4 % COMMUNITY & ASSOCIATES DAILIES Retail 933,662 932,711 0.1 % National 93,546 75,752 23.5 % Classified 1,326,719 1,333,975 (0.5)% Total 2,353,927 2,342,438 0.5 % MEDIA GENERAL DAILIES TOTAL Retail 1,262,613 1,275,938 (1.0)% National 204,745 175,941 16.4 % Classified 2,159,115 2,157,056 0.1 % Total 3,626,473 3,608,935 0.5 %

*Advertising is in column inches - full run only

Source: Media General, Inc.

CONTACT: Investors: Lou Anne J. Nabhan, +1-804-649-6103, or Media: Ray Kozakewicz, +1-804-649-6748, both of Media General

Web site: http://www.mediageneral.com/

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